Get Out of Your Own Way and Grow: Lessons in Delegation and Leadership from Nicki at Salon Purpose
Ever feel like you're doing everything in your salon and still falling behind? Like your business has potential to grow, but you’re the one unknowingly holding it back?
In this candid and empowering Mini Moment from the Inner Sanctum Salon Rising podcast, we’re joined again by the ever inspiring Nicki from Salon Purpose. She shares what it really took to go from a solo home based stylist to leading a 19 person team with a thriving salon that’s donated over $108,000 to charity.
Whether you're just starting or ready to scale, this episode is a must listen for every salon owner who wants more time, more freedom, and more purpose.
The Trap of Doing It All
When Nicki launched her salon, she believed doing everything herself was the path to success. She juggled bookings, finances, cleaning, and stock control, all while delivering amazing hair.
But quickly, she hit a wall.
Her dream of having more time with her kids clashed with the reality of burnout. She realised that if she wanted to grow her salon beyond herself, she needed to stop trying to do it all and start delegating.
The Power of Delegation in Salon Success
Nicki’s game changer? Delegation! Even before she felt ready.
She hired a bookkeeper and accountant from Day 1
She got on payroll straight away, paying herself with intention
She identified tasks she wasn’t good at and outsourced them
She empowered her team by giving them ownership of key tasks
Her biggest advice: “People actually want to help you and they’ll often do it better and faster than you ever could.”
Know Your Strengths and Build Around Them
As salon owners, it’s easy to believe we should do everything. But Nicki flips that mindset. She encourages you to:
Make a full list of what your business needs
Highlight what you love doing and what you dread
Delegate the rest, even small tasks like stock orders or cleaning
By doing this, Nicki freed up energy to focus on culture, strategy, and team leadership, the parts of business only she could do best.
You Still Need to Know How Everything Works
Delegating doesn’t mean handing off blindly. Nicki makes it clear, you still need to understand every part of your business, even the tasks you eventually outsource.
Why?
So you’re not vulnerable if someone leaves
So you know what “done well” actually looks like
So you can create solid systems and expectations
She learned the basics of bookkeeping, scheduling, and rostering before outsourcing them and that foundation gave her confidence and control.
Redefining Leadership in the Salon World
Nicki’s message is one every salon leader needs to hear:
“If you want to grow, you have to get out of your own way.”
Letting go of control isn’t weakness, it’s wisdom. It’s how you scale a business with heart, integrity, and sustainability.
Your team wants to help. Delegation makes them feel trusted, empowered, and part of something bigger.
And you? You finally get the breathing room to lead with vision, not just survive the day to day.
Your Growth Starts Here
If you’re ready to step into the next version of your business, one with more freedom, purpose, and profit, this episode is your sign.
Take a page from Nicki’s journey and ask yourself:
What am I holding onto that I could let go of?
What would open up for me if I trusted my team and support network more?
Let this be your reminder: you don’t have to do it all to build something extraordinary.
🎧 Listen to the full episode now
For more stories like Nicki’s, subscribe to the show and explore other episodes on leadership, finances, and salon success.
